Re: feet


bogart.lloy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Jim Bianchi wrote:
> > I've an older Hamilton pocket watch that has (according to the
> > serial numbers) four feet on the dial. After that serial number, Hamilton
> > went to using three feet on their dials.
> >
> > This weeks silly question is: Why three feet at all? I mean, its not
> > as if the dial is (or can be) subject to any kind of torque forces
> > (even in
> > a lever set watch) that'd need a lot of feet to be resisted, so why
> > not only
> > two or even one foot on the dial?
> >

> Swiss pocket watches often employed 2 dial feet,
> at least when they weren't r=trying to look like
> American-made watches, and sometimes
> even then.

> One foot would potentially allow the dial to shift
> and drag against the pinions,

> Might it be that 3 or 4 help equalize forces on the dial?
> I've seen one hell of a lot of Swiss porcelain PW dials
> that were chipped right at the point where the dial feet
> attached to the underlying metal disc of the dial. (Then
> again, the Swiss dial feet were typically held with screws
> that could easily be over-torqued.)

Surely the use of three feet must be because it is the most stable
arrangement.

One would allow the dial to tilt or twist in any direction, two would
restrict twisting to two points, four has the potential for stress being
applied if there is any imbalance in the height between them but with
three, none of these 'problems' can arise. - much like the milking
stool.

JG
.

Relevant Pages

  • feet
    ... I've an older Hamilton pocket watch that has (according to the ... went to using three feet on their dials. ... Prev by Date: ...
    (alt.horology)
  • Re: feet
    ... After that serial number, Hamilton ... >> went to using three feet on their dials. ... dials with three feet were used." ... solid -- certainly they have no threaded hold into which 'dial foot screws' ...
    (alt.horology)
  • Re: feet
    ... went to using three feet on their dials. ... English and American pocket watch have always used 3 feet for the dials instead of 2, it seems to give the heavy fired enamel dial better support than a 2 foot dial has, 3 feet are less likely to shear off if the watch is dropped, fine the balance staff will break, but that's better than having the centre wheel pinion and seconds pinion snapped off as well. ...
    (alt.horology)
  • Re: feet
    ... > I've an older Hamilton pocket watch that has (according to the ... > went to using three feet on their dials. ... I've seen one hell of a lot of Swiss porcelain PW dials ...
    (alt.horology)
  • Re: feet
    ... >went to using three feet on their dials. ... As for enamel dials, since any movement or bending in the dial legs ...
    (alt.horology)